Thieves in the Night
by Inicora
Summary: What happens when a commen thief kidnaps a member of the Royal family? Is there more to this situation than meets the eye... R/R please ^_^
1. Default Chapter

Thieves in the Night  
  
Prologue  
  
The night was clear and the sky full of twinkling stars. It was a new moon so the outside world was nearly pitch black causing shadows to grow larger, winds seem colder, and a whole hell of a lot easier for robbers to sneak around sleepy mansion guards. That is exactly what a figure clothed in black was taking advantage of on this dark night. The robber sneaked over the shadowed garden walls, and through the dark garden. As the figure walked silently through the starlight bathed rose bushes they peered at an open glass window one level up above the moist ground. The dark figure dug through a small black back on their shoulder pulling out a tightly braided rope with a shinny metal three pointed hook at the end. The black clothed person looked up at the open glass window with mischievous crimson eyes and spun the end of the rope with the hook around to gain momentum on the object. They gracefully let the object fly from their hands and hook silently inside the window frame. The thief gave the twisted rope a firm tug and swiftly started climbing up the old red brick wall. Reaching the windowsill they smoothly climbed into the dark room. After jumping into the still shadowed room the thief quickly pulled up the braided rope and turned to face the room with crimson eyes. A small movement in the shadows caught the crimson eyes attention and they slowly turned away from it and moved the graceful body with them. Pretending not to notice the figure in the shadows, the person fool enough to try to attack a thief in the night from the shadows, from where a thief almost lives. The young male with chocolate brown eyes crept up to the black clothed robber, hoping foolishly that he would not be caught. As he stood right behind the master of the shadows he prepared to pounce on the swift thief and as he did so the figure spun around crimson eyes flashing with burning anger. Quickly the young mans arms were pulled into a painful lock and a strong, but slender hand cupped over his mouth.  
  
"What the hell do you think you're trying to do!?" the thief's voice hissed, a females voice! "You're either extremely foolish or very brave and I wouldn't think you're the second one from the way you crept up on me!" She turned him around, still keeping her hand on his soft mouth said, "Now I'm going to let go of you're mouth, but one call for help from you and I'll carve out you're intestines and be out of here before anyone will figure out it was you who screamed." She finished of this threat by fingering a slender sheath for a sword at her slender waist. The young man looked at her with wide chocolate brown eyes and nodded his head, messy brown hair in desperate need of a cut flying all over the place. She took her hand off his warm mouth and pushed him onto the large canopy covered bed on the other side of the room. He gaped at her and his eyes grew wider. "You're a girl!?" he whispered huskily in a rich smooth voice. "Nooooo," growled the thief quietly, who was now searching the room for anything of value, "I'm a horse with wings and a purple tail! Of course I'm a girl, stupid!" She looked through a desk drawer and let a quiet curse when she found nothing that caught her interest. She glanced over at the handsome young man at the bed and got an evil grin on her face. "What?!" said the boy, clearly bewildered by her smile. "You're going to help me. What in here has anything of value?" she smirked and put her hands on her hips still eyeing him oddly. "Nothing really. All the valuables are in the treasury in the dungeon, locked in a safe and everything else is stored with my uncle at the royal palace." He shrugged and spread his hands upward in a sign of innocence. "Oh, I'm not so sure," said the young woman as she walked up to the confused boy. Her crimson eyes burned into his chocolate brown ones as her smirk widened. "I think I'm looking at something very valuable right now. Now if I guessed right you're Prince Tai Kamiya, the next in line for the throne. With your uncle about to die of age without any heirs. I expect a great deal of money would be spent if you were in any kind of danger especially....kidnapping?" She laid one delicate, dangerous finger on the end of his perfectly formed nose as reality dawned on the handsome young man. "W-what!? How did you guess? Like you could actually kidnap me! Do you realize the punishment for kidnapping!?" He hissed looking around for a weapon or any escape route. "I have friends in the servants who told me of you and of course I know the punishment for kidnapping," she whispered this while slowly sliding her delicate finger down his cheek and toward his shoulder. She leaned over his shoulder, and her warm breath tickling his ear she whispered, "It's death." She pressed a pressure point on his trembling shoulder and with a quiet gasp he fell to the floor unconscious.  
  
She worked quickly in the dark, pulling out the silver hooked, braided rope she tied the end without the hook around the young prince's waist. Throwing the tall young man over her muscular shoulder she caught the hook in the open window frame and slowly lowered Tai to the ground, all the time on a lookout for wandering guards of the brick mansion. After he had thumped onto the ground she smoothly followed after him. Once outside the house, the graceful thief did not wait for any surprises, she quickly pulled in the silver hooked rope and lifted the prince over her shoulder. She swiftly ran through the strangely dark shadows, her crimson eyes focused on the silver ribbon on the gray brick wall, a sign where she had tethered her midnight black horse. She swiftly tossed the heavy man over the dark wall and climbed smoothly over after him. Once over, she tossed him onto the front of the shadowed coloured horse and slid onto her horse behind his warm body. Silently she signaled the dark horse and with not a whisper left the place behind with not a hint of the start of the tragedy that had started on this dark, shadowed night.  
  
Chapter 1  
  
When Tai woke up he was nearly blinded by a bright light shinning directly into his chocolate eyes. He tried to turn away from the blinding light and realized that he was tied to a medium size cot with cotton whit sheets underneath him. He closed his eyes, blocking out the noon sun to his unadjusted eyes. A few minutes later he slowly opened his eyes to observe his surroundings.  
  
He appeared to be in a small room with cedar wood for walls. The one window was placed across the room where it could just reach his eyes. It's shutters were broken and rotting away. The room, though clean was old and the cedar wood rotting in quite a few places. There was one door a few feet from his bed, repaired roughly in a few places with mismatched boards. There was also a small chesterfield with two of three missing drawers across the room from him. Apparently the thief wasn't very well off.  
  
After taking in his surroundings the prince tested his bonds. The ropes were strong and well taken care of and the knots that tied him, nearly impossible to break. Both his feet were tied to the bottom metal posts and the same with his hands. This kidnapper obviously knew what she was doing. He noticed that she hadn't gagged him. 'Well that's one good thing. At least I can talk.' He thought, hoping at the same time that he would ever get out of this place alive.  
  
At that very moment a young woman wearing trousers and a long cotton white shirt, patches on both, walked through the creaky, old door. Though Tai realized that this young woman was his kidnapper and highly dangerous, not to mention very poor, he couldn't help but notice one other thing.  
  
She was beautiful! Her long, auburn hair hung in a braid halfway down her back. She had a slim, powerful, and shapely figure that screamed out danger. Her lips were soft and full and a perfectly shaped nosed on top of that.  
  
But her most compelling feature was her crimson eyes. They were bathed in mystery, and a burning flame of anger and that that would never be quite smothered. But behind all that was sadness. Sadness so deep that he could almost drown it. A sadness that had seen horrors and death and come out of it. But not without it's own little mark. Never without its own scar, a scar that would forever lasts on her tainted soul. As she noticed him staring she quickly shielded her fiery eyes blocking out his searching innocent ones.  
  
She stood at the door with a tin tray balancing on one slender hand. She glared at him with her blazing crimson eyes, which caused him to look in the opposite direction, as if fearing he would burn to death. She sighed and walked up to him, sitting on the edge of the cotton sheeted bed.  
  
"Are you hungry?" She asked roughly looking anywhere in the room but at him. He turned and looked at her his eyes now had a stony look to them shielding her as she had shielded him.  
  
"Why do you care?" He snapped at her turning away once again.  
  
She bristled and had a look about her that could kill. She took a few deep breaths and clamed herself down a bit, trying very hard not to strangle the young man lying on her bed!  
  
Finally she replied coldly, "Actually, I really don't give a damn about you or anything to do with you. I'm only feeding you so when I give you back to your stupid family you might have a chance of still being alive!!!" Tai looked at her again his mouth open in shock, obviously not used to being talked to in this manner.  
  
He turned his eyes away again and muttered back, "Fine I'll eat something. But can you at least tell me your name, peasant so I may address my kidnapper by proper title?" She hissed at his slight at her ranking in social class and replied in a voice seething with anger, "It's Sora. Now lets get some food in you, your Royal Highness?!" Tai hissed back at the sarcasm in her voice, and they both glared at each other anger matching equally in both young adults.  
  
Finally Sora took a deep breath a lowered the tray onto the bed. In a cracked china bowl was some steaming porridge with a sprinkling of cinnamon on the top. Beside the bowl was a tin cup full of cool, frothy milk. Tai looking at this meal could feel himself drooling, even though he was used to a much fancier meal, he was starving and this felt like a feast to his poor starving stomach. Besides it smelled better than anything he'd ever smelt (well at least in the last 48 hours).  
  
"Wait a second!" Tai brought up having a sudden idea, "How am I supposed to eat this? You'll have to untie my hands!" Feeling very confident about his idea of escape he hid a smirk, 'I mean how many peasants would be educated enough to figure out what I am planning?' He was very shocked when Sora snorted and answered, "How dumb do you think I am? Just because I'm poor doesn't mean I'm stupid, stupid. I'll feed you myself." Tai had a surprised look on his open face again but quickly covered up his astonishment, and muttered, "fine..".  
  
Sora filled the spoon with porridge and put it into Tai's mouth. She repeated this procedure until all of the porridge was emptied out of the old china bowl. After he had finished she loosened the knots on his arms so he could sit up a bit and drink the cup of goats milk she gave to him without choking.  
  
When she turned her back on Tai for a moment to get the handkerchief he tested the loosened ropes-only for them to hold easily. Sora cleaned Tai face of porridge, rubbing a little harder than necessary until he was clean. Tai gritted his teeth and suddenly got another idea of escape. "Sora?" he asked sweetly at the girl who was starring out the open window, "I have to go to the bathroom." Sora looked at the brown haired man and scowled, obviously forgetting that one minor detail when she had tied him to the bed. Then she sighed and answered the young man distractedly, "I only have an outhouse in the yard outside. I'll have to untie you for you to go to the washroom ... Not that it will matter anyway. We're to far out in the woods for you to find you're way home, let alone for someone to hear you!" She smirked as Tai frowned obviously upset about her figuring out his plan. "Then why did you tie me up in the first place?!" Tai cried outraged at the young kidnapper sitting before him. Sora shrugged and answered, "I had to incase you ran of into the woods and got lost. To get the reward I have to return you alive and with me!"  
  
"Really?" Tai shot back his voice dripping with sarcasm, "I thought you brought me hear to show to your family and friends that princes weren't almighty! Or to kill me and hang my body in front of my castle! Or may-  
  
"Shut up!!!!" Sora yelled as she punched him square on the face with all her strength. Pain erupted on his left cheek and he was blinded momentarily. Tai would have shot back a remark at her but as her looked at her beautiful face he was surprised into silence. Crystal tears were running down her face from her burning eyes and sadness and anger etched over every feature.  
  
"You want to know why I did this?! Knowing the risks?!" she cried, pain filling her voice to a point that Tai couldn't understand how she could stand it, "Why I kidnapped a Prince knowing that I would be killed for it?! Why not just kidnap a noble? I of course wouldn't be killed for that! It's because-because..." But at this point Sora couldn't continue because her voice was shaking so hard. As she sank onto the wooden chair beside the small bed Tai felt a wrench at his heart. He wished he could just take this girl and hold her in his arms, and carry this overwhelming burden of sadness for her. He had to do something, anything! Then the most idiotic thing shot out of his stupid mouth, "Are you okay?"  
  
Her head shot up, the shaking had stopped, and a steel mask covered her face once more. "I'm perfectly fine." She muttered stiffly, avoiding his chocolate eyes. But then she looked up at him curiosity flickering in her crimson eyes. "Why do you even care?" she questioned him searching his face with her guarded eyes, "I just kidnapped you in the middle of the night, and knocked you out and just bruised your cheek you're worried about me?" Tai felt his face redden with embarrassment and a bit of anger. He looked away from her prying eyes again and muttered, "I don't know why, okay?"  
  
Sora stared at him for a second longer and sighed as if deciding something. "Okay, I have an idea if you'll agree with it," she looked at Tai as if asking him if she should even suggest this. Tai shrugged his shoulders as best he could with his arms tied above his head ignoring the pain from the growing bruise on his cheek. "Here's the deal highness. I'll let you walk around outside during the day and around the house and these few conditions: one, you cannot run away. Cannot. As I told you before, I live miles and miles into the forest and if you did try to run away I would either find you right away or you would be eaten by wolves." She looked at Tai, who reluctantly nodded his head. After acknowledging this she continued quickly, "And the second condition is you'll have to help with chores around the place." Tai gritted his teeth at the thought of he the crown prince of the land doing chores like a common peasant. But when he thought about it he would rather do work than be tied to this bed. When he nodded his head a second time she continued, "two more things, one you cannot touch my horse, she wouldn't let you if you tried. Two I'll have to tie you up at night." At the last comment she looked almost regretful at the last comment for a moment but that moment passed quickly. "Fine," Tai answered quickly, willing to do almost anything to be untied.  
  
Sora looked at him for a moment as if examining if he was trustworthy, and nodding her head swiftly untied the ropes. As soon as this was done Tai sat up and rubbed his wrists, and stretched his unused muscles. It was then he noticed he was still wearing his pajamas. Blushing slightly he tapped Sora, who was facing the other way on the shoulder. "What is it?" she asked impatiently turning around to face the prince. "I have work to do!" She tapped her foot impatiently and glared at him for an answer. "Ummmm.. I kinda need some clothes before I can do any chores." Tai said bashfully all of a sudden very aware that he didn't have a shirt on and Sora was standing very close to him. "Oh for Goodness sake!" she muttered annoyed at not thinking of another thing before he had awoken.  
  
She turned her back on him and walked toward the broken dresser. She opened the one drawer and bull out a pair of trousers and a white shirt. Both made for a young man. She tossed them to him and he asked her, "Why do you have men clothing? Do you kidnap men often?" The last part was meant as a tease but Sora scowled at him anyways.  
  
"Not that it's any of your business but those clothes are my brothers." "They are?" Tai questioned, looking curious, "Where is he?" Fury flashed over Sora's scowling features before a mask was put back on her hardened face once more. "Shut your mouth and mind you own business before I tie you up and gag you again!" she growled at him through gritted teeth. She turned on heel and stomped angrily out the door.  
  
"Talk about a temper." Tai muttered to himself as he pulled on the trousers and shirt, wishing they didn't have holes throughout them.  
  
He sighed and sat on the bed with a thump, as the seriousness of the situation finally hit him. "What am I going to do?" he moaned into his hand, which he had buried his head in.  
  
  
  
Sora stood outside in the garden, hoe in both hands as she ferociously attacked the ground, dirt flying up all around her. "Stupid, stupid, Stupid!!!" she hissed out angrily and surprisingly not at the young man inside her house. 'Why did you have to kidnap a prince, you idiot! Couldn't you just take some jewels or something that wasn't living?! You're a thief! Not a kidnapper!' a little voice in her head shrieked at her.  
  
"Shut up!" she hissed at the voice, blocking it out. "Him and his family deserved it! Especially after what he did to my family!" She felt a lump build up and her eyes burn for a second, but she quickly shook it off and swallowed harshly. But no matter what she did that hollow feeling in the pit of her stomach wouldn't disappear.  
  
She remembered the sticky feel off the warm dark liquid on her fingers, and lifting her head slowly, looking up, and up until she saw - "NO!" She shouted out loud her body shaking. "I can't think about it, I WON'T!!!!" She dropped to her knees on the mudding ground dropping the hoe, face clenched in hands trying to block out mental images, moaning softly, "I won't..." With her hands still on her face, she clenched them into fists, an icy anger cooling the fire of her crimson eyes. She took a deep breath and dug her nails into the palms of her hands. "Why am I thinking about this?" She mumbled, stumbling over her words, still kneeling on the dirt. "I'll soon be rid of my responsibility, and be with them soon enough..." She stopped mumbling as she felt arms tighten around her shaking shoulders.  
  
  
  
Tai got up from the bed and walked out the bedroom door into a small kitchen. The kitchen had a small stove, and a rusty sink, imbedded in a wooden countertop. He walked out the kitchen door and into the garden outside. Looking around he noticed Sora had been telling the truth.  
  
Thick underbrush and tall trees surrounded the whole clearing. There were a few unused paths leading out but from what he could tell, this place was a far way away from civilization. He sighed realizing that he had very little chance of escape.  
  
In the clearing itself, there was a small barn, most likely were that girl kept the horse she said something about. Tai noted that, just incase he could steal the horse in a getaway. Tai walked evenly around the corner of the house, which he saw, had one more room than he had seen.  
  
He looked away from the house and gasped as he saw Sora kneeling on the ground shaking slightly. He ran up to her body and stood behind her as she mumbled. He caught only a bit of what she was saying, "I'll soon be rid of my responsibility, and be with them soon enough..." He swallowed the lump building in his throat and felt an overwhelming need to hold her, and slowly, he gave in.  
  
As he wrapped his arms around her shaking shoulders, he felt her body go completely rigid. 


	2. 

Thieves in the Night  
  
   
  
Disclaimer: ^_^;; forgot to say this last time... Do you really think I own digimon ayways??? -.-;;; ...  
  
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Chapter 2  
  
As soon as she felt the touch she remembered one of the first lessons her grandfather had taught her.  
  
*****************************flashback*************************  
  
A small young girl sat in an open field eyes closed and short shoulder length auburn hair flickering around in the breeze. Facing her sat an old man, legs crossed in the same fashion as his granddaughter long white hair in a braid down his back.  
  
Two swords sat near the two, one beside the girl, small but well made. But compared to the other blade it was in ruins.  
  
The blade by her grandfather was a katana shinning in perfection, steel glittering brightly in the sun. The steel hilt had designs running up into the length of the sword. It was as perfectly balanced as it was made. It was light weight but nearly impossible to break.  
  
But this did not matter as the two sat there in silence, absorbing the feel of the air around them. After sitting there in peace for who know how long, time did not matter in this occasion, the old man broke the silence.  
  
Sora," he said causing the small girl, no older than seven, to look up.  
  
"Yes grandfather," she answered, opening her crimson eyes, her attention completely on the adult so beyond her young years.  
  
The old man opened his eyes, identical to his young granddaughters, unless you looked beyond the surface. Because though the same in colour Sora's were filled with innocence and sparkling with happiness. Her grandfathers went deep, filled with age-old wisdom, more than anyone should know and more than anyone could remember if he explained.  
  
He gazed at this young child, a vision of perfection in his old eyes, and felt pride. She was special. More than she would ever know or realize in the slightest. She was not destined for her family's life, as her brother and sister and parents were. She was to become something much greater.  
  
He almost laughed as he realized that no one but an old man would realize that for years to come. But he quickly sobered as he realized what responsibilities would be put onto his small grandchild, completely unaware of her extraordinary fate. It would be his responsibility to prepare her to give her a will to survive the hard life she would go through.  
  
"Grandfather...?" Sora questioned again, looking at her grandparent curiously as he shook his head slightly, coming back into reality.  
  
"Sora, my child, there is something I must tell you." He informed her, placing a hand upon each of her small shoulders, and gazing into her eyes. "Sora you are special. You are destined to a fate that neither of us could possibly dream of. And unlike your mother, father, and siblings you will not live you life out on this farm, insolated from the world. You will go out into the world and leave this life behind you changing thousands of people's lives in the process. But Sora I will not always be around to protect you from the world, and there are people out there that if they knew about you would try to get rid of you. So I will teach you. This is the first and most important lesson you will ever get. You must never, ever let your guard down. That is when these people will get you. So you must promise me my child. When I'm gone never let your guard down."  
  
Sora listening to her grandfather, crimson eyes wide in the fear of her grandfather going and people trying to hurt her. She didn't quite understand all of what her grandfather was saying but she nodded anyway.  
  
"I promise Grandfather."  
  
*************************End of flashback*************  
  
'I broke my promise!!!!' was the first thought that screamed through her head.  
  
So as Tai wrapped his arms around her the first thing she did was grab his arms with both hands, jumped to her feet and tossed him over her back, in one swift motion. She unsheathed her katana in a liquid movement, the same one that lay in the grass beside her grandfather all though years ago, and placed the tip millimeters from his neck.  
  
When Tai opened his eyes, and saw Sora standing over him anger blazing in her fiery eyes, with a sword pointed inches from his throat, glittering evilly in the sunlight, the first thing he voiced in a moan was, "Owwww….." He closed his chocolate brown eyes and dropped back totally into the dirt.  
  
    
  
"What the hell were you trying to do, Prince!!" She spat at him, voice shaking a bit, though the sword was perfectly steady. She put the sword back into its sheath, and kicked him with her toe. Tai moaning softly was unable to resist grinning at the irony of the situation. "Answer me!!!" Sora hissed, kicking him again, harder.  
  
"Ouch! Would you quit kicking me and I'll tell you!!" Tai glared back at her, smirk gone from his face. "I was trying to comfort you! Remind me never to do that again…."  
  
Sora's face faltered and surprised replaced her anger. But the anger soon came back as she sneered, "Yeah right. You don't care about me! I just kidnapped you! Why would anyone care….." The last part was said quietly, with sadness hinted in her voice.  
  
"Because I'm human. A person would never leave another in pain and not do anything about it." Tai said firmly, all smiles gone from him. But this answer just seemed to make Sora angrier. Tai figured this out when Sora's fist connected to his face, again.  
  
   
  
"You lying son of a bitch," she hissed, now not only anger but – but now there was something else there…, hate? "Human beings won't do anything! The only thing they do about is laugh and jeer and throw thing at them!!!!"  
  
Sora gasped as if she had said something secret and ran away leaving Tai on the ground, and very confused. "I really don't understand that girl...." he muttered as he lifted himself off the ground groaning. He picked up the hoe she had dropped and started off where she had finished.   
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
"Oh God...." Sora moaned, leaning against her horse's side. "What's wrong with me...." She felt a nudge at her forehead and opened her eyes, to look into a pair off deep black ones.  
  
"Oh Hoshi....." she murmured throwing her arms around the black horse's neck. In the safeness of the animal's warmth she let out the tears that had wanted to come all day. They burned down her tanned face as she sobbed letting down the shield that she worked so hard to make.  
  
   
  
After a few minutes her sobs were reduced to sniffles and finally stopped completely. She went to Angels side and just draped her arms over the horses back. "It was stupid of me to bring a person here... There are too many memories I'm not ready for... but what's done is done and I have to go through with this! Even if I'm not ready..." She whispered to the horse.  
  
   
  
"God I have a headache..." Sora muttered, her head pounding as she looked out the window.  
  
"It's sunset already!? Shit...." She moaned, and stood up, got food and water for the horse, who nickered gratefully. She walked toward the house hiding her surprise when she saw Tai hoeing the garden and walked into the kitchen.  
  
   
  
She ignored the pounding in her head as she got a pot out, and started making soup. Once she had it simmering lightly on her small stove she put two bowls on the table, flicking back a piece of hair off her hot sweaty forehead, the pounding now a sharp ache. She poured some of the hot steaming soup into each bowl, then poured a glass of milk for each.  
  
   
  
At this point the ache was no longer just an ache, nor could she just pass it off as a migraine anymore. Her head felt like it was splitting in half in agony, and the world was blurry. She clutched the table with her hand as she fell to her knees. She gasped for breath as a fresh wave of pain came over her.  
  
Her grasp weakened from the edge of the wooden table and she fell to the cold wooden floor. She manage to call one last thing before the world turned completely black and pain forced her into an unwelcome sleep, "Grandfather!!!"  
  
   
  
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Dirt covered Tai's clothes, dust smeared his face and his normally perfect hands had callused and were bleeding. He grumbled as he tore through the rocky soil, sweat mingling with dirt on his handsome face. Not paying attention to where the hoe was actually going while he tossed it into the air, he didn't notice how close he was hoeing to his foot, until the metal blade slammed right into his toe.  
  
A look of irritated pain flashed over his face, as he threw down the hoe in anger and crossed his arms defiantly. "I simply refuse to do anymore of these stupid chores!" he announced out loud, to the open yard in front of him.  
  
He then glared at the hoe as if it were mocking him, sighed and as if realizing how stupid he was being he reached down to pick up the dropped garden tool. He was interrupted as a call came from the house, unmistakably Sora's and called out once and only once. But dread filled him the moment he heard, because this wasn't her normally harsh tone, this voice was filled with pain.  
  
At once he dashed toward the house, completely forgetting about the chore. He slammed the door open and gasped in shock as he saw Sora lying on the floor moaning in pain. He rushed to her side, and picked her gently up in his arms. He was shocked at how hot she felt and how light she was. Her auburn hair was damp from sweat, face scrunched up in pain.  
  
She struggled weakly in his arms still fighting his hold, even in sleep. He nearly laughed as he realized this, but the humor was short lived as he glanced at her hot, sweaty face again.  
  
He kicked open the bedroom door, arms full from carrying Sora, swearing at himself for not noticing her illness earlier. Balancing her in the crook of his arm like a baby he pushed back the blanket with his other arm.  
  
She was shivering now, even though her body was positively radiating heat. He lowered her onto the bed and gently tucked her under the covers. She struggled, letting out a whimper of pain in her sleep.  
  
Tai then noticed the sword prodding out from under the covered and hit himself for not removing it earlier. He opened the covers once more and attempted to unhook the sword from her slender waist. But as his hand touch the sheath of the sword, in her feverish sleep, Sora unconsciously grabbed the hand on the sword and squeezed it very tightly.  
  
Tai gasped in pain, and wrenched his hand out of her hold. He stood there glaring at her sweaty form for a moment then muttered, "Well I guess I'll have to leave the sword......" Tai then sat down on the edge of the bed frowning deeply. He had never attended a sick person before; the palace healers had always taken care of that.  
  
As Sora moaned again Tai put a hand on her sweaty forehead. It was burning! Stepping up from the bed he left the room, and got a pail of water, and a cloth. He slowly dipped the cloth into the pail of ice cold water and, wringing out the cloth first, placed it on her flaming forehead.  
  
   
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
It had been five days since Sora had fallen ill and she wasn't getting much better. Most of the time she was in a half sleep, body steaming hot, but drenched in a cold sweat. Some of the times she was conscious, she was delirious, moaning and crying out to invisible creatures and people.  
  
;When Tai actually managed to get her into a deep sleep, she was plagued by nightmares. She would awake trying to scream, but throat to dry and swollen to make a noise. A few times she had woken up and been able to acknowledge Tai's presence.  
  
In the few times, Tai would usually manage to get food and water into her, before she started hallucinating again. Tai never really left her side, unless it was to feed the horse, or once and a while himself.  
  
Through all of this, a little part of Tai's mind was putting him through pure torture. Why was he helping her? She had kidnapped him, she a commoner and he the heir to the Royal throne! But instead of taking advantage of the situation, he was caring for her, putting her needs before his own. Not only that, but he hardly knew her at all, and what he did know he didn't like very much. But he pushed these feelings away, ignoring them like they deserved to be.  
  
As Tai sat down beside her bed again, a bowl of soup in his hands, he winced and smiled bitterly. "Hell, not like I could overpower her anyway,' he thought, fingering a forming purplish bruise on his cheek, as the many others spotted the rest of him. 'she can defend herself easily from me even with this illness in her.' He had a kind of grudging respect formed for her now, at least for her fighting skills.  
  
*****************************flashback******************  
  
It had been a few hours since he had first walked into the house and seen Sora lying on the ground. He had been sitting by her side, holding her clammy hand for the first two, then a few minutes ago when she had showed some sign of waking, he had taken one of the bowls of the soup from the kitchen. It was now cold, but Tai decided that even so some nutrient in her was better than nothing.  
  
   
  
As he gazed at her motionless body, he tried to figure out how to wake her up. He sat there debating for a while before deciding to just putting it to her mouth to see if she'd take it in her sleep.  
  
So he filled the dented spoon with some of the cold soup and put it to Sora's slightly parted lips, but the cooled soup just dribbled down her chin. Sora's frown deepened at the feeling and unconsciously knocked the spoon away.  
  
Tai, slightly annoyed at this, bent down and picked the spoon off the wooden floor. He wiped it on the front of his semi-dirty shirt until the spoon itself was clean again. Filling it with soup he repeated what he had tried before. This time she growled and knocked not only the spoon but his hand too.  
  
Now that annoyed Tai. She had HIT him, when he had been trying to help her!!! Tai then roughly took Sora's head and force open her jaw. Or tried too at least.  
  
The moment she felt his hands on her face, she woke up out of the half sleep. Noticing right away her situation -and a pounding headache- she shot her fist strait out into his gut, winding him, and her other fist slammed into his face.  
  
Tai fell to the ground moaning, for the second time that day and looked up. Sora was standing over him, panting slightly, fury radiating off her, and Tai winced.  
  
"Why- th-the hell di-id you do that????" She gasped out face shinny with sweat. "Do-don't you ever-ever... do-do that... do that... again!!" She was forcing out the words, in obvious pain but refusing to let her guard down in the slightest.  
  
"Will you get back in bed if I say I'm sorry." Tai pleaded, worried about what this was costing her strength, though he had NO idea why he was worrying about her after she had just punched him.  
  
"N-no!!!" She yelled, then clutched her head, moaning in pain. She sat on the disgruntled sheets again, and Tai carefully got up.  
  
"What can I do to make you sleep again?" Tai asked softly, cautiously. Sora looked up again glaring, her eyes boaring into the back of his skull.  
  
   
  
"Why-why do yo-you even care!!" she spat, glaring at the ground now, as if she didn't have enough strength to lift even her head now. "I'm sur- surprised you haven't run awa-way yet!!!" Tai glared back at her at that as if she had insulted him.  
  
"You really think that I would leave an ill person alone without any help!!!! You think I'm THAT cruel!! You may think most people are cruel heartless beings that wouldn't help another in need if their own life depended on it but I for one don't believe that!!! Think I'm a jerk, think I'm a wimp, think I'm a piece of crap for godsake!!!! But please, just get into bed..."saying the last part a little softer.  
  
Tai winced again after his little speech and glanced at Sora warily, expecting to be hit again. What he saw shocked him even more than being hit. Sora's crimson eyes were brimming with astonishment, looking at him as if he were an alien from another world. But what surprised him more was what she said next.  
  
"Fine..." she said quietly her eyes downcast again, and got into the bed.  
  
"Wha-what?" Tai stammered, amazed that she had listened to him. But Sora's eyes were closing again, and she let out a soft moan. Suddenly her ruby eyes shot open again and she grabbed Tai's hand.  
  
"Sw-wear t-to me!! Swe-swear you won't leave m-me!" She gasped urgently, her eyes now glazed over, voice slightly mad as she shook all over.  
  
"I swear..." Tai gasped out as the hold on his hand tightened, nearly breaking his fingers. A contented, but pained look filled Sora's eyes as he said though words and she let his hand fall. She gasped out a few last words as she fell into the half-crazed sleep again.  
  
"I-I'm sorry. Fiv-five da-day... five days..." She murmured, before the storming sleep overtook her again.  
  
**************************flashback ends******************  
  
Five days had passed and nothing strange had happened. Tai just passed the words off as delirious talk. He absentmindedly brushed a piece of hair off Sora's face, not noticing the coolness to it. She had been screaming and whimpering a lot in her 'sleep'... Those were the times that scared Tai the most.  
  
Two days ago it had been so bad he had had to hold her to the bed to stop her from killing herself. Her eyes had been wide open in terror as tears slashed down her flushed cheeks. Crimson eyes rolling in her head, not seeing anything around her in reality, living some horrifying dream, screaming about blood in agony, screaming not only in words but from her very soul... she had actually reached for her katana, trying to impale herself on her own blade.  
  
Tai flinched at the memory, not only because she had left him a bloody lip and nearly broken rib, but almost remembering her pain himself as he had held her flailing body that day. Looking at her still form again... 'Still form!!?? She's never completely still... Not even moaning!' Tai thought to himself extremely surprised as dread for the worst filled him.  
  
He reached up and felt her forehead, gasping in surprise as he felt its cool temperature. He put a hand hovering a few inches over her mouth and gaped as he felt normal, regular breathing. He let out a grin that lit his whole face, as he realized that her fever was gone. Then he frowned slightly as he wondered how the hell did it disappear so fast... she was burning just a few hours ago... 'Nevermind that idiot!' a little voice shouted in his mind, 'She's waking up! Get something to eat for her.'  
  
The little voice was right as Sora frowned a bit, not in pain but as she was struggling to wake. Tai stood amazingly fast, the chair clattering to the floor as he bolted to the kitchen. Ripping through the cupboards he grabbed some stale bread and filled up a cup of water from a jug in the kitchen.  
  
When he rushed back into the bedroom, he stuttered to a halt by the old bed. Unfortunately for him his efforts failed as a sprinkle of water flew from the glass, and sprinkled the end of Sora's nose. Tai held his breath as Sora frowned slightly and wrinkled her nose a little. Her eyelids crinkled, and slowly but surely she opened her eyes ever so slightly. Softly bringing her hand up she wiped the droplets of water off her nose.  
  
"Is there a leak or something?" She asked sleepily, and cracked a huge yawn, covering it with her hand. She looked over at Tai, who at this point, had chocolate eyes as wide as saucers. "What?" She asked, completely bewildered. Sighing irritably, she peered back at him with her flaming crimson eyes. "Either tell me what your gaping at or not, but I'm hungry so can I have that food you're holding?"  
  
Tai handed her the food dumbly, still staring disbelievingly at the girl ravionishly devouring the food in front of him. "How the hell did you wake up?!" He asked suddenly, as Sora chewed a piece of the bread.  
  
Sora rolled her eyes and swallowed the chewed bread, waving at him for the glass of water, which he handed over. She gulped down nearly the whole glass and sighed contently, then chose to answer Tai's question.  
  
"What's the big mystery?" She said dryly, peering up at him from her spot on the bed again. "I opened my eyes and woke up, so hard to understand, idiot?" Though she said the words she had up the shield again, making it impossible for Tai to sense her honesty. 'Well do ya really expect a thief to be honest?" he asked himself dryly.  
  
He looked strait at her and glared, clearly annoyed. "Come on, as much as you believe it I am not as dumb as you think. Even if I was, even I would know that no one that sick could just 'wake up'. So what happened?" he demanded, frowning deeply at her.  
  
"Pushy little one aren't you? Why should I tell you anything?" Sora shot back, getting a bit annoyed herself.  
  
"Uh, maybe because I've been nursing you by myself for the past five days?!" Tai glared, now quite annoyed, and burning more by the second. A flash of guilt crossed Sora's face and she bit her lip, avoiding his eyes.  
  
"Fine I'm sorry about that... and I really grateful what you did for me... especially after the way I treated you but... I can't tell you... please understand..." she pleaded, grabbing Tai's hand in her own and looking straight at him once again. The pain flashed across her features again, and Tai softened his expression.  
  
"Fine then... I won't push the subject now..." Tai sighed as he looked away.  
  
"By the way..." Sora interrupted sounding nervous, getting up from the bed and facing away from him and out the open window. "I'm truly sorry about kidnapping you... and... I'll take you back now if you want... I-I'll just find another way..." Her voice sounded very strained and pressed, as if this was hard for her.  
  
Tai looked at her, surprised once again. Even if he did just help her wasn't she... well... a thief? Wasn't she a least going to collect a reward for him? Thinking back to the nearly empty cupboards, she sure needed the money.  
  
"Find another way for what? Can you at least tell me that?" Tai pressed gently, expecting to be hit once again. Instead Sora sighed and turned around to look at him. Searching him with her crimson eyes she nodded slowly, sighing, "Fine... you deserve to know... just lets talk... outside..."  
  
Tai nodded gaping at her in shock, again. Turning Sora walked quickly out the door, noting it was nearly sunset. Tai followed her, and worried, "Are you sure you should be out so soon?"  
  
"Yeah... I'm perfectly fine, now hurry up." She grabbed his hand and pulled him off a path into the forest. Tai stumbled a few times trying to keep up with her, panting slightly, wondering faintly how she was not at all tired.  
  
Suddenly they broke into a small clearing and Sora stopped abruptly, causing Tai to trip again, and this time fall. Sora sighed impatiently and turning around grabbed his hand and pulled him up. She pulled him along to the middle of the small field and pushed him softly making him fall down hard on his back.  
  
He sat up and glared at her as she sat down gracefully in front of him.  
  
"What?" She asked innocently, eyes widened in effect. Tai crossed him arms, letting out a 'humph' sound. "It feels so good to be outside!" Sora said happily, closing her eyes peacefully and sighing slightly.  
  
Tai peered at her, looking oddly confused, then annoyed. "Okay missy! Can you please tell me why we're here and everything else?!" Sora glared at him as he popped her 'happy' bubble, one of the few times she had been happy since... it happened.  
  
"I was getting to that!" She snapped, glaring at him furiously, making him cower under her gaze. "So as I was saying... it all started about five years ago......."  
  
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And here I stop!!! .;; That sounded overly cheerful... Anyways please review if you want me to post the next chapter!!! ^_^;; 


	3. Secrets...

Disclaimer: I don't own digimon... Though I DO own *looks in pocket* A piece of string, a candy bar wrapper and a... *sweatdrop* ... something... 

*hides* Sorry! Sorry for taking so long! ...*cough* Anyway... read on....

Thieves in the Night

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"One day, I was meditating in this field-" Tai's confused gaze and question that followed cut her off.

"Medi-what?" He exclaimed, shaking his head slightly.

"Meditating." Sora dismissed with a quick wave of her hand. Seeing his expression was still blank, she sighed and explained, "It's a kind of training that relaxes you, in a way you sort of leave your body..."

"Witchcraft..." Tai whispered, his eyes wide with fear. Sora shot him an annoyed glance.

"No. It's just a way of relaxing yourself. But if you get this twitchy about that, maybe I shouldn't tell you the rest." She snapped, a haunted look coming into her eyes.

Tai shook his head furiously, "Sorry. Please tell me the rest." Sora glared at him wryly.

"Then quit interrupting, ass. So anyway, I was jolted back into reality, by a sound in the trees. Being a naturally curious 12 year old, I went to look..."

****************************************Flash Back************************************
    
    Something flashed through the leaves, traveling faster than Sora thought possible. She frowned, and sped up, she was going to catch the thing. It dodged in front of her, leaves rustling a few feet in front of her. The ground flew past her feet in a blur, she had now gone deeper into the forest than she had ever gone before. She past the thought on, ignoring it completely. She heard the panting of the creature in front of her and she knew it wouldn't be long before it tired and slowed. 

They ran on through the brush, an endless chase. Then the one in the front stopped, falling to the ground with a cry of pain. Sora broke through the trees before her, and gapped at what she saw before her.

There on the ground was a small boy, with golden blond hair holding a bloody knee with tears sparkling in his blue eyes. She approached him slowly, and the small boy whimpered and scurried away. She grabbed his hand before he could run off and he yelped loudly and cringed away. She rolled her eyes in exasperation and pulled him to her, him struggling the entire way.

"Oh stop being so scared!" Sora snapped, free hand on her hip. "I'm not going to hurt you! I'm trying to help!" The small child glared back at her and stopped struggling.

"How am I supposed to believe you?" He asked in a small voice, defiant though he had finished trying to get away. Sora raises an eyebrow and sat the boy down keeping a firm hold on his shoulder.

"Because if I had wanted to hurt you, I would have done so by now." She announced and ripped a piece of her shirt, and started wrapping the material around the cut. "Now, may I have the honor of your name?" she asked dryly looking at the younger boy. He looked down at his wrapped knee, grinned and answers happily.

"It's TK. What's yours?" Sora never had a chance to answer before a small group of people charged through the bushes in front of her, all armed with roughly made spears. She narrowed her eyes and pushed the surprised TK behind her. She moved her hand toward the hilt of her katana, and closed her hand over it. To her astonishment, little TK raced out in front of her and spread out his arms.

"STOP! SHE'S A FRIEND!" The small boy yelled out and looked firmly into the leader eyes- the same as his own. The older boy, who looked Sora's age like the other two attackers, approached the little boy and hugged him. Then he stood up and eyed Sora warily as she did the same.

"Are you sure TK?" The boy asked as he stared at Sora. "She looks like any other farmer spawn around here." Sora bristled at the insult and whipped out her katana, knocking the other boys spear out of his hand and kicked him square in the gut knocking him down, before he could even think to move. The other two raised their spears, ready to attack, when the older blond started laughing. They lowered the weapons again, unsure looks on their faces.

"Okay, fine. Sorry if I insulted you miss." He gasped out, grabbing his spear as he stood grinning. "Anyway, my name is Yamato Ishida- Matt to my friends." He tilted his head to the side and gave her a questioning look. Sora grinned back and sheathed the sword.

"Sora Takenouchi. Nice to meet you Matt." With the small exchange, everyone in the group visibly relaxed. 

"Okay Sora, meet everyone. This over here is Mimi." He pointed to a pretty, small girl with waist length brown hair, and beautiful brown doe eyes, in a ragged outfit. "And this is Izzy." He pointed over to a small boy with short messy red hair, and coal black eyes, in an equally torn outfit. "And of course you know my brother Takeru-"

"TK. don't call me that." TK said frowning deeply up at his older brother. Matt laughed and ruffled his already messy blond hair and looked back up at Sora. Sora looked to him, to his brother, and back at the small group. All their clothes were ripped and torn, and their clothes were burnt and thread bear. She opened her mouth to ask a question but Izzy interrupted her.

"You are most likely wondering why four children of our pre-mature ages are wandering aimlessly around this area of shrubbery. We will inform you of our situation if you wonder please follow our lead to our current inhabitance." To this rambling of intelligence the others laughed at Sora's blank look.

"He means come with us to our "house" and we'll tell you what we're doing here." TK translated, smiling up at her and grabbing her hand. Matt looked at her with questioning eyes and she nodded in response. Matt led the small group through the thick forest with the casualty that let Sora know he had been through this area plenty of times before. 

After around half an hour of walking through dense forest, they broke through to a clearing leading to a tiny cave. There was a small campfire burning in front of the cave with a small pot of something simmering on it, some logs pulled around the flames, and a rabbit skin drying near the cave. Something flew with lightning speed out of the semi-dark cave, and TK released Sora's arm as he got attacked by a small girl with a giant hug. 

The girl held onto TK with a huge smile and squeezed him as hard as she could. TK laughed and hugged her back. Then the girl saw Sora for the first time and backed off behind TK, going completely shy in record time. Matt laughed and stood behind the two, a hand on TK's shoulder. The little girl had shoulder length soft brown hair, and large, sparkling brown eyes. She was a little taller than TK and had a kind and powerful aura to her.

"Sora, this is Kari." Kari's eyes suddenly got huge and she whimpered slightly.

"Tai..." She whispered looking at the ground. She then leapt at Sora and nearly knocking her down as Kari flew into her arms, tears glittering at the corners of her sad eyes. She buried her face in Sora's warm shirt as Sora wrapped her arms around the skinny little child. She shot a confused glance at Matt, who looked as lost as her. A distraction was created as two noisy children ran out of the cave laughing, followed quietly by another boy. They we followed by a livid teen, who was holding a sobbing six year old.

"Davis, Yolie GET BACK HERE!!! NOW!! ARGH!" The blue haired boy yelled face red in annoyance.

The quiet little boy was the first to notice the other group and walked up to the oldest, and tugged on his shirt whispering something. The teen stopped yelling and looked over at the group and grinned. The grin disappeared only for an instant when falling upon Sora. 

"Hey Matt!" The boy waved over, still trying to calm the crying boy in his arms. Mimi rolled her eyes and planted the spear in the ground. Going over she took the child and walked in the cave the child calming instantly. The other laughing children finally noticed Sora and ran over, the teen and quiet one following quietly.

"So guys, this is Sora." Matt said gesturing to Sora who still had Kari clinging to one arm, joined by TK on the other. "Sora this is Davis and Yolie." He tilted his head toward the two grinning children, the girl having lavender hair, cut at the shoulder blades, and mischievous brown eyes. Her companion was a boy with maroonish spiky hair and deep reckless brown eyes. They both promptly ran up to Izzy and jumped onto his back. "Hi!" They greeted as one.

"Anyway, this silent one here is Ken." Ken looked up at Sora with calm deep violet eyes and lifted his hand toward her in a greeting. TK aloud her to have her hand back for the moment and she shook Ken's small hand who gave her a small smile beneath shoulder length strait, silky blue hair. He released her hand and stood beside TK who grinned at him.

"And here of course would be Joe, our doctor and official babysitter." Joe looked about 15 and was TALL. He smiled at her and offered a hand much like Ken had just done. He had spiky blue hair and coal black eyes. Sora looked back at him strait faced and shook his hand, searching his deep gaze. Matt, finished with the introductions, knelt down in front of TK and put a hand on his shoulder, grinning slightly.

"Hey TK, I have to explain to Sora why we're here. Do you think you could take Ken and Kari, and get Yolie and Davis off Izzy so I could tell her? Oh and can you get Mimi from the cave for us?" Matt asked his little brother. TK nodded and walked up to Kari and whispered something in her ear, causing Kari to nod and release Sora's arm. He then walked up to Izzy and looked up at the other two.

"Come on you two! Let's go get Cody and play _Turnia_!" Yolie and Davis exchanged grins and jumped off Izzy's back, who sighed, and they all walked toward the cave. Mimi came out a moment later, a small smile on her face. They all led Sora over to the campfire and sat down on the logs. Sora, who had remained silent this entire time, asked a logical question.

"Why are there no adults here?" She asked simply, looking strait into Matt's blue eyes, who sighed and poked the fire with a stick. After a bit of silence he answered.

"Do you know of... the village Tornar?" He asked her quietly, looking into her crimson eyes as Sora shook her head, "Well, exactly 3 months ago, Kamiya soldiers came into our village. They marched up to my father's, the mayors, house and broke down the door. Me and TK were outside at the time, but we over heard them. They were demanding we turn over Kari to them, and they would destroy our village if we refused. My father couldn't do that. Kari was the only thing her grandmother, Ms. Smathy had left in the world. So he told them that Kari wasn't in our village. The soldier yelled at him-and Mama and- and _murdered_ both him and Mama. I grabbed TK and we ran through the fields to Kari's cottage. Miss Smathy was always telling us stories and all of these children were there at the time. I told her about the soldier's and Miss Smathy turned white. She got the most terrifying look in her eyes I had ever seen. She told us- told us to run into the forest and stay in the trees. Then she took me aside and told me not to come back, no matter what I heard, or what I saw. So, all of us that is here now ran into the forest and spent the night in the trees. The younger ones slept, but us older ones heard it. We heard the screams, we saw the smoke and fire, and we smelt the burning. I tried to go back, but Joe held me in the tree. By the morning, the screams had stopped and the fire had burnt out. We all climbed back out of the trees and walked back into the village, Joe staying behind with the younger kids. The village was burnt to the ground and everyone in the village was dead. It was horrible, they had nailed all the bodies onto stakes and blood and ashes were everywhere. We spent the entire morning taking down the corpses and we burned them all in a bonfire. After that we took to the forests and have been here since." Tears speckled everyone's eyes and no one could meet Sora's gaze.

But she knew they were leaving something out. From the way they wouldn't look at her, and they were all shuffling their feet. She looked down at her lap and decided to ask a more innocent question, if they needed to keep a secret from her it was fine. 

"What... happen to Kari?" She asked quietly looking at Matt again. To her surprise it was Joe who answered her question.

"That was my fault." He said quietly, and shook his head as Mimi tried to protest. "I didn't do good enough job of watching the children, and I fell asleep. Ken, Yolie, Davis, and Cody- the little one- all stayed and played by me. But Kari and TK... they both got away, and Kari made her way to her grandmother's house. That cottage had been the only one not burned and in the kitchen Kari found her grandmothers body, tortured and mangled horribly. Kari screamed and when we found them, TK was leading Kari away from the house and Kari was sobbing her eyes out. Since that day, Kari hasn't said a word, and wouldn't let another person other than TK touch her. She never cried either. Until today."
    
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    And I'm going to leave you there.... ; Personally I don't think this chapter was very good, though I did introduce you to everyone else... Anyway... R/R Please!


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